The Dickinson press., 1887-09-24
LIFE AT WEST POINT.
AN Ex-cADET GIVES A FEW BITS OF
HIS EXPERIENCE.
His Reception at the Barracks-Under.
going an Ordeal of Impertinent Oues-
tioning-The "Plebes" and Their Mas
ters-One of the Nuisances.

tioning-The "Plebes" and Their Mas.
ters-One of the Nuisances.
My W experience on reporting at West
Point may he taken us n fair example of the
way in which newcomers are treated. NV
appointment required me to report to the
adiutant of the United States military
academy M June II, and at . o'clock on that
day | presented myself. The adjutant OK.
nmined my appointment papers, and sent mo
over to the hospital to stand my physical ex-
animation.
AT the hospital l was told to strip off all
my clothing, and n board of surgeons pro
ceeded to examine me with n view to ascer.
tanning whether or not / possessed the plysi-
cal quailficatlons necessary to enter the
United States army. They made me hop
across the floor on one foot and back OH the
other, weighed and measured ne, tested my
eyes and lungs, and finally sent mo back to
the adjutant with a sealed envelope con-
tanning their verdict. Tho adjutant opened
the envelope and informed me that / had
been accepted. He then sent me over to the
barracks i'll charge of an orderly. Right
there my trouble commenced. Thus far I
had come i'll contact with regular army Off
GERS only, and nothing had happened to i'm
pair my dignity or lessen my self esteem, but
now | was to lie placed under n cadet cor
poral, and learn for the first time that be-
tween plehes and ycarlings there is Il great
gulf fixed. On my arrival ut the barracks
was met by two cadet officers, a sergeant and
n corporal, and the following conversation
cnsued:
"Take off your hat, sir" said the corporal,
"and hang it OH the floor"
l obeyed, wondering if that was the only
hatrack Uncle Sam allowed his boys.
"Whnt is your name, sir!!" asked the SER
geant.
"John Smith," 1 answered.
"Sir," said the sergeant, "Sir, what do we
care whether your name is John or George
or Zachariah! Now, sir, what is your name"
"SmitlI." said l.
"No, sir" said the corporal, your name is
not Smith, hut Mr.. Smith, and remember to
put a sir on when You peak to your superb
ors. Now, sir, what is your name"
"Mr. Smith, SIR" l replied.
l thought all this was funny, and couldn't
repress a smile. l was at once ordered to
stop that smiling" but. of course, smiled
only the harder.
The corporal, n stout fellow nearly six feet
high, stepped up near TO and directly in
front of me, and STOPPING down nearly to
my shoes, jumped up sticking his nose in my
face. This maiicnver surprised me so com
pletely that l did not know what to do or
say.
Sir" he yelled at the top of his voice, edo
You intend to obey me:!"
felt tempted to knock the fellow down,
but not knowing whether or not he really
had any authority over me, I concluded that
prudence was the better part of valor, and
remained quiet, hut was now so thoroughly
angry that | no longer felt any inclination to
smile. After having devilei me to their.
hearts content, these two cadet non-commis-
stoned officers conducted me to the office of
take charge of the new men.
"What is your name, sir!' asked the lieu
tenant.
"Mr. Smith, sir" 1 answered.
Swell, Mr.. Smith, hold up your head, get
your heels together, drag i'll your chin. get
your shoulders back, and assume the position
of a soldier when you speak to me-, sir"
"Now, sir" continued Lieut.. D. when 1
see that book up theres"
ayes, sir" l replied.
"Well, then, keep your eyes fastened on the
ASNlCA W III llC Nv vi lllv DJDk Y nile L ask
you a few questions, and don't You dare to
predecessor, sir!"
"Hisn name is Jones'" l answered.
"No, sir" he yelled, show darc YOU put
United States army and graduate of this in
stitution! Mr.. Jones is your predecessor.
sir"
maia boSfo fn 1i.n1oin, oil ;,+a-:.a -
putting myself OH an equality with Mr..
Jones.
"What was your previous condition of
servitude, sire" was the next question. UNI
derstood by this that my questioncr wished
to know what had been my condition of life
previous to arriving at West Point. and so
answered that I had been a farmers son.
Lieut.. DIT then asked me if | had any
pistols, bowie knives, confectionery or black
ing. Iconfessed having u box of tile latter
article in my trunk, and was ordered to turn
it in to him immediately. Cadets, 1 after
ward learned, are not allowed to keep black
ing in their rooms, but nave their shoes
BACKED in the shoeblack's shop under the
barracks. When Lieut.. D-h had finished
questioning me, he assigned me to the room
which l was to occupy until l had passed my
entrance examination. Every boy before
being admitted into the academy must pass
two examinations, the physical, which l have
already described, and the academic. The
academic examination generally lasts about a
week. During that time the applicants for
admission, known officially as "candidates,n
but called "beasts" by the cadets, are SUBJ
jected to every sort of ~indignity by the cadet
officers, whose duty it is to protect them.
The candidates that succeed in passing their
examinations become Mt once cadets of the
fourth class, and are no longer called "beasts.n
but for a whole year are known to their fell
low cadets as "plebes." Soon after their ad
mittance the plehes are transferred to camp,
where the first and the third classes 1.-THE
second always being absent on furlough) have
preceded them, and where they are destined
to spend two months of torment. While in
camp the plebes are slaves to the other class
men, and spend a great part of their spare
time in doing "menial SERVICE for their mas.
tiers. "Menial service" in cadet slang means
cleaning guns, polishing waist plates, sewing
torn gloves, bringing water or doing any odd
job that q yearling third class MANI or first
class man may want done.
standing attention" to the other cadet.
is considered by the plebes one of the worst
nuisances that they have to endure. When
ever a yearling or first class man enters 6
plebe's tent or speaks to him, the latter is ex
pected to strike a brace and keep it until hi
superior "a gives him permission to stand al
ease.
Cadets of the first, second and third classe
call each other by name without the pref,
"Mr.," but "Mr." the plebes and make tn
plebes Mr." them. This is done to show til
fourth class that it is not the equal of til
others. -Ex-Cadet in N. o. Times-D Democrat
III the open Cars.
~ spend my evenings i'll the open cars,
said a Brooklynite. AFTER years of expert
epce l find that a ride 90 the front seat of al
open cur is more exciting and certainly mucl
cooler than a journey to Coney Island
There is little or 40 dust, and that night mus
be very hot when there is no breeze. Try j
some time, and Ill bet that you will agre
with me. What can be more charming on
sultry evening, when the thermometer is i
the eighties, than to ride behind o team G
horses of which there is NOT tLo slipI,tos